Fremantle have burst out of the blocks against a strangely sluggish Geelong to set themselves up for a potential giant-killing AFL elimination final win at the MCG on Saturday night.
The Dockers, seeking just the third finals win in their history, led 8.9 (57) to 3.5 (23) at halftime.
The Cats, premiers in three of the past five seasons, were heavily favoured entering the match and expected to show greater composure given their finals familiarity.
Instead, the Dockers cut them apart in the first quarter, kicking five goals to none in the game’s opening 20 minutes.
Three of those were to star forward Matthew Pavlich, all from marks.
Opponent Tom Lonergan was unable to stay with him on the lead and given little help from his fellow Cats defenders.
The Cats defence looked badly disorganised, with Hayden Ballantyne and Ryan Crowley both also kicking goals in the first quarter from marks inside their attacking 50m arc.
Geelong could count themselves fortunate that the Dockers did not capitalise on all of their opportunities in the first term.
Even though their last four scores of the quarter were behinds, they still led 5.7 to 0.1 at the first change.
While the Cats made life slightly tougher for the Dockers after the first break, the lead still stretched to 48 points 16 minutes into the quarter, after a Clancee Pearce goal, at which stage Geelong were yet to post their first.
The passage of play which led to it illustrated the difference between the sides.
Geelong’s Jimmy Bartel bombed aimlessly into attack, where Docker veteran Adam McPhee, enjoying a good night, marked uncontested.
Fremantle then moved the ball comfortably down the middle of the ground to find Pearce unchecked in attack.
But a major to Andrew Mackie 18 minutes into the second quarter sparked a run of three goals in three minutes for the Cats, skipper Joel Selwood posting the second after being tackled high.
Mitch Duncan then brought the crowd to full voice by taking a strong pack mark then converting.
But Fremantle’s Michael Walters ensured the visitors went to the long break with the momentum and a 34-point lead, with a clever soccer goal.
Midfielders David Mundy and Nathan Fyfe had strong first halves for the Dockers, while Selwood was fighting hard for the Cats.